Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011 Page 5

Adam Riches won the main comedy award, Humphrey Ker won best newcomer, and The Wrestling won the panel prize.

Quote: Ian Wolf @ August 27 2011, 2:15 PM BST

Adam Riches won the main comedy award, Humphrey Ker won best newcomer, and The Wrestling won the panel prize.

As soon as I came out of Riches show I said I'd be surprised if it wasn't nominated. Just one of the funniest shows I've seen, well deseved winner.

I'm glad to see that Ker won. I wanted to see his show but never had the chance. However, I am somewhat bemused to the fact that as a performer for The Penny Dreadfuls, who have performed at the Fringe many times, he still allowed to be given a newcomer award just because he performed on his own.

Quote: Ian Wolf @ August 27 2011, 2:51 PM BST

I'm glad to see that Ker won. I wanted to see his show but never had the chance. However, I am somewhat bemused to the fact that as a performer for The Penny Dreadfuls, who have performed at the Fringe many times, he still allowed to be given a newcomer award just because he performed on his own.

Well, it was his debut as a solo artist; and that's also obviously quite a different skill than a sketch group.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 27 2011, 3:28 PM BST

Well, it was his debut as a solo artist; and that's also obviously quite a different skill than a sketch group.

I suppose so, but from what I saw his show consisted of several sketches as well.

As you'll hear in the latest edition of our excellent podcast, featuring Dr Phil Hammond, Tim FitzHigham and Gilded Balloon supremo Karen Koren, the 'rules' for the currently-Foster's awards are a load of tosh.

(Which, frankly, explains a couple of winners from recent years. No names mentioned.)

Came back from the first trip to the Fringe and Edinburgh itself yesterday and I have to say it was an incredible experience. I only saw six shows, one of which was a BBC Q&A but I did want to see the city itself and also visit relations and only had three days. My first show was a short play called Phillipa and Will are in a relationship which was okay although I found it more cringeworthy than funny, the second was the BBC Q&A which featured Miranda Hart, Tim Key, Isy Suttie, Fred Macaulay and Lady Garden and it was very interesting as it was about how producers has scouted the fringe for talent, next up was Ruby Wax which was about her coping with mental illness, I enjoyed it but I found the Q&A a bit hardgoing as a lot of the audience were sufferers of mental illness.

I saw Jon Richardson which was more of a reading than stand up but still funny, Jack Whitehall and his father was probably my favourite and I not a huge fan of his, would say his father stole the show and finally Daniel Sloss who was good but his material is a bit clique but funny nonetheless.

There are a few shows I wished I had seen but couldn't due to timing such as Isy Suttie which my sister saw and loved, Lady Garden and also Tom Price. I am definetly coming back next year but I'm going to book a week to cram in more shows.

I had a fab time at the festival and saw some really good acts.

I loved Trevor Lock's set. Also saw an act but I didn't get their name, maybe someone on here can identify them? It was a 2 man act, one guy had a beard. They wore black suits and white face paint. Sang about 'Spare part babies' and were putting people on lists? Was quite scary but very funny.

Oh bumflaps, I didn't realise Trevor Lock was there, I saw him a few years ago as a support act and it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

I didn't get to see Jon Richardson's show but I've read his book, so I guess I'd already heard whatever he read out. Plus I walked past him in the street so that's pretty much the same thing.

Trevor Lock is very funny, silly and clever at the same time. I hope to see him playing a bigger venue next year, he deserves it.

Quote: zooo @ September 1 2011, 9:44 PM BST

I didn't get to see Jon Richardson's show but I've read his book, so I guess I'd already heard whatever he read out. Plus I walked past him in the street so that's pretty much the same thing.

I walked past him on the street as well on the way to see Daniel Sloss, I'm the sort of person who tend not to talk to famous people as I respect that they sometimes don't want to speak to fans outside of working but has anyone ever chatted to any of the comedians during the fringe?

I'm too shy, so I never talk to famous people (or unfamous ones, preferably).
I may occasionally make an involuntary 'ooh' noise though, and point.

Next year I'll be going as a performer so I will get a fringe pass to get into the industry bars :) This pleases me.

Ooh, I didn't know they had them.

Yap :)